Whisper
by Writefromtheheart95
Summary: Arianna Hollow is a mutant who has worked for S.H.E.I.L.D. for years. One day, Director Fury announces the addition of two new Avengers: herself and Loki. Though she doesn't trust him at first, she soon finds out that not only do they have more in common than she thinks, she'll also need his help. Rated for language and suggestive themes.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Ari woke that morning to the ever-so-tranquil sound of her alarm clock. She rose from her bed, stretched, then proceeded to get ready for the day. The smell of coffee drew her to the kitchen (she loved her automatic coffee maker) and she poured herself a cup and breathed in its invigorating aroma. She took a few sips before getting into the shower.

After her shower, she dried her hair she dressed herself in a black, pin-stripped suit with matching pumps. She pulled her snow-white hair into a neat bun and put in her color contacts (She couldn't let her normal neighbors see her purple irises), and applied her makeup. After putting the rest of her coffee into her travel mug, she grabbed her S.H.E.I.L.D. ID badge and left her apartment.

Ari felt a slight nip in the air as she made her way to work. Sighing, she thought about how boring work would become once the weather turned cold. For some reason, power-hunger dictators and biochemical terrorists seemed to take a hiatus in the winter months, though Ari didn't really blame them. She wasn't a big fan of the cold herself.

The building she was looking for finally came into view. It had a sleek, modern design and the logo on the very top read 'J.P. Morgan'. Ari walked in through the spinning doors and went straight to the elevators. There were about ten of them, but the one she was looking for was not one of these. She found the one at the very end of the hallway and typed in her code on the keypad. The doors opened for her, and she stepped on. The elevator brought her down far below the J.P. Morgan building, the streets and even New York City's sewage system. When the doors finally opened, she was met with another door, this one 12 inches of pure titanium. She took the contact out of her right eye and opened it wide for the retina scanner. Once the scanner had confirmed her identity, she had to put in her code again, then scan her fingerprints. The door swung open for her, and she waltzed in.

"Good morning, Agent Hollow," the friendly voice of the receptionist, Jackie Monroe, greeting as Ari walked in. "Hey, Jackie. Any assignments today?"

"Let me check." She typed Ari's name into her computer. "Nope. Just training."

"Of course," Ari sighed. _Looks like it's going to be another boring day. _Ari never thought that working for a top-secret government organization in charge of unusual or otherworldly phenomenon would be so mundane. _I suppose it could be worse. I could be stuck in some cubicle staring at a computer screen all day. Or dead. Probably dead. _

As Ari made her way to the locker room, she noticed clusters of Agents standing to the side whispering about something. Ari didn't normally participate in "office gossip", but everyone seemed to be on edge for some reason. She entered the locker room, and typed in her code on her locker. The door opened, and she put her purse in it and took out her training uniform, which consisted of a white tank-top with the S.H.E.I.L.D. logo over the heart, white compression leggings, and white combat boots.

"Hey, Ari!" an excited voice shouted. She turned around and saw Renee Carter running towards her. She smiled at her. Renee and Jackie were the only female agents who would talk to her. The other women just gave her nasty looks when the male agents swarmed her. It's not like she _wanted _all of that attention. She was designed to be physically attractive.

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" Ari asked as the two slipped on their training uniforms. "Their bringing Loki to the base." Ari stopped what she was doing and looked up at her. "What?"

"Their bringing Loki to the base. Apparently he's gonna be working for S.H.E.I.L.D. now."

"Loki, the bastard who killed over eighty people, brought aliens from another Realm to Earth, and destroyed half of New York City, is going to be working for S.H.E.I.L.D.?" she questioned, absolutely baffled that Fury would even consider letting Loki anywhere near the base.

"I don't understand it either. And I don't understand how Fury expects us to accept him." The two women finished getting dressed and walked out of the locker room. Ari spotted Steve Rogers in his Captain America suit leaning against the wall, looking at a cellphone, completely confused. "Hey, Cap'n. Where'd you get that?" Ari asked, pointing to the phone. Steve looked up and smiled at her. "Oh, Fury gave it to me. He said he needed a way to 'keep tabs on me'," he replied. Ari rolled her eyes and gave Steve a friendly punch on the arm. "You heading out on an assignment?"

"No fair, you guys get to do all the fun stuff."

"You wanna trade? I'd much rather train the new recruits than wrestle with something that spits radioactive goo."

Ari laughed. "As fun as that sounds, I think Fury would eat me if I left you alone with the cadets."

"Aww, come on, who do you think I am? Stark?"

"Oh, geez, I can't even imagine what would happen if Stark trained them." Just then, Steve's phone began to vibrate. "What does that mean?" he asked.

"Someone's calling you." Ari took the phone from him. "It's Fury."

"How do you answer it?"

"You just swipe your finger across the screen." She demonstrated for him and handed the phone back to him. "Hello? Yeah. Yeah. Alright. I'm on my way." He hung up the phone. "I gotta go. I'll see you two ladies later." He winked at them and walked away.

"I don't know how you can talk to him. I get so nervous around those guys." Ari shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because their the only ones who are nice to me without trying to get in my pants."

Once the women arrived at the training arena, the cadets stood at attention, ready to receive instruction. "Alright guys, we're going to practice throwing knives today." The cadets immediately marched to the targets and began throwing the knives. Every once in a while, either her or Renee had to correct someone's stance, but other than that, they mostly stood at the back of the room and made sure they didn't kill each other. One cadet threw knife after knife without even hitting the target. "How do you did it?" he grunted under his breath.

"Here, let me show you," Ari said, picking up a few knives. One after the other, she got each one right on the bull's-eye. "How did you get that good? You're not much older than any of us."

"Being a freak of nature will do that for you," she joked.

"Can you show us again?" another cadet asked.

"Sure," she said, taking three knives in her hand. She threw the first two normally, but than decided to show off, so she threw the third one while facing the other way. They all began to clap, but then stopped suddenly. "What?" she asked. Renee pointed at the glass wall. There was a hoard of agents walking down the hallway, and in the middle was Loki. While all of the agents were looking straight ahead, he was looking right at her. He didn't look at her maliciously like the female agents or lustfully like the male agents. He just sort of looked… curious. Though it only took them a few seconds to pass by, it felt like hours to Ari since she refused to be the first one to break eye contact.

Once they were gone, Ari turned back to the cadets. "Alright, quit gawking. Get back to work." They turned their heads down and went back to throwing knives.

Ari tried to focus on the cadets, but she couldn't get her mind off of Loki. She always thought that when she saw the face of the man who killed Agent Coulson and eighty other people, she would feel pure, unadulterated hatred. Instead, she felt sorry for him. She wasn't sure what it was, but something about him seemed… sad. Ari just shook her head. _Focus, Ari. He's a murderer. He killed Coulson. _

Suddenly, Ari felt her phone buzz on her hip. "Hollow," she answered.

"Agent Hollow, I need to see you in my office immediately," boomed the imposing voice of Nick Fury.

"I'm on my way," she sighed as she hung up the phone. "I have to go see Fury. Can you watch them for a bit?"

"Sure thing," Renee answered. Ari made her way to Fury's office, wondering what she did this time. _It's gotta be about the whole tarantula thing. Can't anyone take a joke? _She got to his office and knocked on the door. "Come in," he ordered. She opened the door and poked her head inside. "Look, if this is about the whole 'putting-a-tarantula-in-Carol-Spencer's-locker thing…"

"That's not what this is about, though, we _will _talk about it," he assured her. She stepped into the room and closed the door. "So what's up?"

"You are an exceptional agent, Hollow. As you've probably heard, we have brought Loki to the base, and he will be working with us. The Avengers will need all the help they can get."

"Are you… making me an Avenger?" she asked, completely stunned.

"I've been thinking about this for a while now, and I believe that with your proficiency in fighting and your… abilities that you would be an excellent Avenger."

"I… I don't know what to say."

Fury nodded and continued. "You're code name will be Whisper, and your first assignment will be to read up on our new friend. You'll need to know about his past and his fighting style. Now, get to work."

"Yes, sir," she said as she started to walk out of the room. "Oh, and buy the way, could you show Loki around the base? I'd do it myself, but I'm too busy running a top secret government agency."

Ari stopped, turned around, and gave him a fake smile. "Of course," she said through gritted teeth.

"Who was that?" Loki asked one of the agents escorting him to the conference room. None of the agents responded. He sighed, a little disappointed. He didn't know much about human genetics, but he did know that they were _not _suppose to have purple eyes. And her fighting abilities were quite impressive. _What is she?_

"Well, you guys are quite a friendly bunch," he commented as one of them opened the door. Inside, Agent Maria Hill stood in front of a large screen. Thor, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, and Clint Barton sat at a large conference table. "Where are the red, white, and blue boy and the spider?"

"Captain America and Black Widow are on assignment today," Agent Hill answered curtly. "Please, have a seat." Loki sat down next to Thor, and the agents that escorted him stood on either side of the door. "It is good to see you, brother," Thor said as he patted Loki's shoulder. Loki simply nodded and turned his attention to the screen.

"As you all probably know, this is a delicate situation. Loki, you will be monitored twenty-four-seven, and if you exhibit any suspicious behavior, you will be dealt with accordingly," Hill stated ominously.

"Fair enough," Loki replied.

"You will not be authorized to leave the base unless you are on assignment or with one of the Avengers, and you are to report directly to Director Fury as soon as you return."

Loki nodded in understanding, and Hill continued. "Now, as you all know, Commander Fury has been considering a new member of the team and has made a decision." She turns on the screen, and a picture of the woman he had seen on the way there. He straightened up and leaned forward in his chair.

"Hey, that's Ari! I didn't know Fury was considering her. Who knew that he actually had some sense?" Tony exclaimed.

"She is certainly an excellent fighter," Thor confirmed.

"Smart too," Bruce added.

"Yes, I'm sure you're all familiar with Agent Arianna Hollow. She has been with us for many years and is one of our top agents. Her abilities are very powerful and useful to us. She will be joining you on your next assignment together whenever it comes up. You're all dismissed."

Everyone except Thor and Loki jumped up and left the room. "Do not worry, brother. In time, they will see that you have changed and will accept you," Thor assured him. Loki didn't look at his brother.

Thor smiled. "I am glad you are here. Midgard may not seem like much, but it is a wonderful place with many extraordinary people." Just then, the door to the conference room opening and the white-haired woman, who he now knew as Arianna Hollow, stepped into the room. "You can go, boys. I'll take it from here." The agents guarding the door saluted and left the room.

"Welcome to the team, Ari. I'm sure you will make a great Avenger."

"Thank you, Thor. I'm glad to be a part of it. Now, if you excuse me, I have to show Mr. Mischief around the base." She looked at Loki with an unreadable expression, and gestured for him to get up. He obeyed and followed her out of the room.

"So, Agent Hollow, is it?" Loki inquired as they walked down the hallway

"Do me a favor and just call me Ari. The only people who call me Agent Hollow are Fury and my cadets."

Loki was thrown off a bit by this, but nevertheless continued. "What makes you special enough to be an Avenger?" he asked. She stopped walking and, without any warning, disappeared right before his eyes. Loki blinked a couple of times, trying to process what had just happened. A few seconds, she reappeared with a satisfied smirk on her face. Loki regained his composure. "Impressive," he commented.

_Oh, that's not all. _He heard her voice, but her mouth didn't move. "Telepathy?" She nodded. "I also have a handful of other abilities, but I won't demonstrate them all right now." As they continued walking, she pointed out important rooms to him: the training arena, the front desk, Fury's office, the weapons vault, the labs, the cafeteria, and finally, the apartments. "Most of the agents live on the base," she stated.

"Do you?" he asked, hoping the answer was yes.

"No. I have an apartment off-base on Fifth Avenue." Loki was a little disappointed, but said nothing. "This will be your suite. S.H.E.I.L.D. thought it would be best for you to stick close to your brother."

"Lovely," he grumbled as Ari reached into her pocket and pulled out a badge. "You'll need this," she said as she handed it to him. "That's your I.D. badge. You'll need it to unlock the door. You can also use it to get in and out of the base. Any questions?"

"Just one. What are you, exactly?" She looked at him with a faked innocence. "I don't know what you mean. I'm just Ari." She smiled at him, then turned on her heels and walked away. Loki just shook his head. _She's insane. _

That night, Ari and Renee went out drinking at their usual bar. Ari had a cigarette in her hand and a martini sitting in front of her. "I can't believe you're an…" Renee began before Ari shushed her. "We're out in public, Renee. You can't say the A-word."

"I'm sorry, but it's just so exciting! You're playing ball with the big boys now." Ari nodded, not really paying attention to Renee. Ari couldn't stop thinking about Loki. She had pictured him as a monster, but he seemed so… controlled. He was definitely a complicated character.

"Hey, what's with you? You seem distracted."

"I just don't understand why Fury would trust Loki. After everything he did, all the people he's killed…"

"It does seem strange, but I'm sure Fury has a plan. He always does." Ari nodded again. _What's Loki's game? _she thought was the women paid their tabs and left. Renee flagged down a cab. "You sure you want to walk? It's dangerous after dark," Renee joked. Ari laughed. "I think I can handle myself." Renee waved goodbye, and the cab sped off.

The night was unusually quiet as Ari made her way back to her apartment, though Ari didn't mind. She liked the quiet; it gave her time to think. After a while, however, a cold feeling that swept over her body interrupted her thoughts. An uneasiness was tugging at the edge of her consciousness. Someone was following her.

Ari began to walk faster and faster but the feeling wouldn't go away. She practically ran back to her apartment and slammed the door behind her. She waited to hear footsteps coming down the hallway, but it was silent. Sighing to relief, she prepared herself for bed and lay down. _This has been a weird day, _she thought was she drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next day, Thor and Loki walked around the base talking. "You seem distracted, brother," Thor commented.

"Do I?" Loki asked, not really paying attention to what his brother was saying. His thoughts were fixated on Ari. Everything about her fascinated him: her powers, her personality, her appearance… He wanted to know everything about her.

"Something is weighing heavily on your mind," Thor responded. As much as it pained him to go to his brother for information, he didn't know who else to ask that wouldn't immediately give him the cold shoulder. "What do you know about Arianna Hollow?"

"Ari? Why do you want to know about Ari?" Thor questioned.

" No particular reason. She's just different from most of the Migardian women I've seen."

"Well, I have fought with her a few times, and she is a skilled warrior. Her abilities are impressive as well. She can make herself invisible and communicate with others with her mind. She also heals very quickly." Loki nodded and indicated for Thor to continue.

"She is compassionate and loyal and stands firmly in her convictions."

"You make her sound like an absolute saint," Loki grumbled.

"Believe me, brother, she has her flaws. She can be a bit… abrasive at times. She also is not very trusting of men."

"Not trusting of men?"

"Yes. I have noticed that she does not talk to many men. She will speak to those of us who are Avengers and Nick Fury, but no one else, although that does not keep them from pining for her."  
"And what of her past?"

"That I do not know. She has never discussed it with me." Loki absorbed the information. Even though it was a good start, there was still so much more he wanted to know.

"Hey, Thunderdome, what's up?" The brothers turned around to find Tony Stark trying to catch up to them.

"Good afternoon, Man of Iron. What are you doing here? Should you not be with your woman?"

"Ah, Pepper's at her cousin's wedding. I offered to go with her, but she said she didn't want me to 'cause trouble'. Like I'd ever do that. Hey, did you check out Ari's new outfit?"

"Has Fury provided her with a suit already?" Thor asked.

"Yep. Oh, look! There she is now!" Tony exclaimed as he pointed towards the main lobby. Ari was walking with her head done, looking at some kind of holographic tablet. Her hair was styled into her usual bun, and she wore a completely white outfit composed of a collarless leather jacket, a tank top, a pair of spandex pants, and a pair of lace-up knee-high boots. Loki couldn't help but look at her the way her had noticed other men looking.

"Fury must think she looks good in white," Tony commented.

"She is certainly eye-catching," Bruce Banner mused as he walked towards the group. Just then, Loki noticed a man approaching Ari. He had sandy-colored hair, pale blue eyes, and a physique that he had heard Midgardians refer to as "ripped".

"Check this out, guys. Agent Johnson's crusin' for a bruisin'," Tony announced. The man spoke to Ari, but she didn't look up from her tablet. After several seconds of unsuccessful attempts to get her to look at him, he put his hand on her shoulder. "Ooo, bad move, lover boy. You're gonna get it now." The words barely left Tony's mouth before Ari had twisted Agent King's arm and flipped him onto the ground.

"She's strong," Loki said.

"You've got that right, Cub Scout. I wouldn't mess with her unless I had my suit, and even then, I'd be hesitant."

At that moment, Ari looked up and noticed her audience. She stormed towards the group of men. "I certainly hope you gentlemen enjoyed the show," she snapped as she passed them without glancing back.

"Ah, great. Now she's pissed at us," Bruce complained.

"Where is she going?" Loki asked.

"Probably to one of the vented offices to smoke," Tony answered.

"Well, somebody's gotta go calm her down. Any volunteers?"

"Why can't you do it? Don't tell me that the mean, green, fighting machine is afraid of little Ari?" Tony teased.

"I have to get back to the lab. My lunch break is over."

"Riiiight."

"Well, what's your excuse, Tin Man?"

"I…uh… have asthma. Can't be around the smoke."

"Whatever, Stark. What about you, Thor?"

" I am sorry, Dr. Banner, but I am meeting Jane in Central Park, and I cannot be late again."

"Well, then, Cub Scout," Tony said as he patted Loki on the back. "It looks like it's time for you to earn your 'Taming the Beast' badge." Loki simply rolled his eyes and went to seek out Ari.

As massive as the S.H.E.I.L.D. base was, Loki found Ari relatively quick. He smelled cigarette smoke coming from a room with a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door and figured that was where she was. As he opened the door, he heard a small _thump. _He peaked around the front of the door and noticed a throwing knife sticking out of it. "Read the sign, dumbass," he heard Ari growl. She lay sprawled across the top of the desk sitting in the middle of the room, holding a burning cigarette.

"I'm not exactly inclined to following orders," Loki said. Ari sighed and sat up. "Did those morons send you here to beg for me to not eat them?"

"Perhaps."

"Well, you can tell them to go screw themselves," she spat as she put out her current cigarette and lit another one.

"You're strength is quite impressive."

"Is that your strategy? Sucking up to me?"

"No. It was merely an observation."

Ari's eyes narrowed at him. "What exactly are you playing at?" she questioned.

"I don't know what you mean."

"What's your plan? How are you going to try to take over the world this time?"

"I can assure you, I have no more plans to conquer this world." Ari looked like she wanted to argue with him, but she simply stood up and began walking out of the room. "Tell the dipshits that they're off the hook. For now," she said before disappearing out the door. _I'm not sure I'll ever understand that woman, _he thought as he went to look for Tony.

"Well, how'd it go, Cub Scout?" Tony asked Loki when they finally caught up to each other.

"Her temper seems to be pacified," Loki answered.

"Whew, that's a relief. Way to go, Cub Scout! Keep it up and you'll be an Eagle Scout in no time! How did you do it?"

"To be honest, I have no idea. One moment, she's practically breathing fire, the next, she is completely composed."

"Yeah, that's Ari for you. She can never decide how she feels." Loki simply nodded, lost in his own thoughts. A triumphant smile formed on Tony's face. "Hey, I know that look. That's the dopey-eyed look of a man in love."

"What? Don't be daft. Why would a god have any interest in a plain Midgardian woman?"

"Thor did," Tony pointed out.

"Thor is a fool."

"Yeah, love tends to do that to you."

"I am not in love with Ari!"  
"Who said anything about Ari?" Loki, realizing that he would not win, simply turned and began to walk away. "Don't worry. I won't say anything. Just remember that if you hurt her, I'll kill you," Tony warned as Loki disappeared around the corner.

"Ow! Hey, watch it! You do know that we're not really fighting, right?" Ari and Renee were sparring in the training arena when Ari had taken it a little too far. "Sorry, Ren. I'm just a little frustrated."

"More admirers?" Ari nodded. "Hey, it may seem annoying, but one of these days you might meet someone special."

"And maybe one of these days Stark will become a humble Buddhist monk, and Thor will figure out how to use a microwave." Renee giggled. "Well, I'd better get back to the cadets. We have field training today."

"See ya." Renee packed up her stuff and left the arena. Ari was about to pack it up too when her phone buzzed. She picked it up and saw a text from Fury that simply said, "My office. Now." She sighed and put the phone in her pocket.

"It's open," Fury's even voice announced after Ari knocked on the door. "Agent Hollow. I have your first assignment as an Avenger lined up for you."

"Already?" she questioned.

"Yes. One of the perks of being an Avenger is you get the more…challenging assignments. And you get them more often." Ari was glad to hear that she wasn't just going to be hanging around the base anymore.

"So what do I have to do?"

"We've received information on a potential attack on a local nightclub called The Black Rose. Our source has told us that a terrorist group, known as The Way Out, is planning on holding the entire club hostage."

"What do they want?"

"That we don't know. But what we do know is that these people have access to large quantities of chemical weapons. We must tread lightly."

"So who else is suppose to be on this assignment?"  
"You, Hawkeye, and Loki."

"Loki!?" she exclaimed. "We can't trust him out in the field yet!"

"We need to show the world that he is on our side now." Ari crossed her arms. "I still think it's a bad idea."

"Agent Hollow, I wouldn't be sending him out there with you if I didn't think that you could keep him in line." Ari sighed. "Fine, whatever. When are we going?"

"Tonight. I expect you to be here early. Agent Hill will give you more details when the time comes."

"Alirght. Is that everything?"

"It is. You're dismissed." Ari nodded and left. She definitely had mixed feelings about this assignment. On one hand, she was excited to go on her first assignment as an Avenger. On the other hand, she had to do it with _Loki. _There was no guaranteeing that he wouldn't betray them, but Fury seemed to trust him, so who knows? Ari decided she had better get some rest. She had to be prepared for anything.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Awesome! I'm all whored up!" Ari exclaimed as she put the finishing touches on her make-up. When she was done, she took a few steps back and examined herself in the mirror. She wore a short, black dress with spaghetti straps and sequence across the top and a pair of matching 6-inch heels. "Although, I'm not sure how well I'm going to be able to fight."

"If everything goes according to plan, you shouldn't have to," Natasha explained. "You do remember the plan, don't you?"

"Of course I do. Loki and I will plant ourselves among the club patrons and once the terrorists make themselves known, we'll take out the henchmen while Clint waits in the rafters to get the ringleader."

"Right. Just remember to use your abilities to your advantage." Ari nodded and left the locker room with Natasha following closely behind.

The two women found everyone else in the conference room. As soon as she walked into the room, Ari felt Loki's eyes on her, but no matter how many times she examined his face, she couldn't read his expression.

"Fashionably late as always, I see," Clint commented. Ari flipped her hair and batted her eyelashes at him. "You know it, sugar," she purred with a wink. Clint and Natasha both laughed, but she noticed Loki's eyes darken slightly. _What's with him? Doesn't he know I'm kidding? _she asked herself.

"Well, aren't you going to change?" Natasha asked Loki. He sighed as an ethereal glow appeared over his body. His Asgardian attire transformed into a casual, gray suit that could easily pass for a designer label. The color of his hair changed from its natural jet black to a soft brown color, and his eyes turned to a paler green. Ari found herself thinking that he looked quite handsome, and tried to shake the thought off. At that moment, Loki glanced her way and smirked. Ari, realizing that she was staring turned away and avoided eye contact with him.

"Well, now that everyone's all dressed up, I think it's time to head out," Clint announced. As the Clint and Loki left the room, Natasha pulled Ari aside. "Remember to watch your back. Fury may trust Loki, but there's no guarantee that he won't betray you."

"Don't worry, Natasha. This isn't my first assignment, you know." Natasha simply nodded. "Alright. Good luck." As Ari turned to leave, she heard Natasha say, "Oh, and Ari." Ari stopped and looked at her. "Welcome to the team." Ari gave smiled and mouthed a 'thank you' as she left.

"Is this really necessary?" Loki complained in the car as he fiddled with the device attached to the back of his neck.

"Yes, it is. You may have Fury's trust, but you don't have mine. And I wouldn't mess with it if I were you," Ari warned.

"Why not?"  
"Because if it decides that you're trying to take it off, it will inject a serum into your spine that will temporarily paralyze you from the neck down."

"Lovely," he groaned.

"It's a necessary precaution. I need some way to know where you are at all times."

"So it's a tracking device too?" Ari nodded. "It will automatically alert me when you get any more than 50 feet away from me," she said as she pulled out her cellphone. "I also have the option of manually activating the injection process."

"I'm on your side now, you know."

"Then you should have nothing to worry about." Loki finally gave up the argument and sat back in his seat.

As the car pulled up to the Black Rose, Loki noticed the long line of people standing out front. "What exactly is so special about this place?" he asked Ari.

"It's a big celebrity hot spot. Anyone who's anyone can be found here."

"So it is some sort of status symbol?"

"Basically." The driver stopped the car and the two got out and headed to the back of the line. "This is going to take awhile," Ari grumbled. For a while, they stood silently as the waited to get in. Then, Loki felt Ari take his arm. "What are you doing?"

"We should look like we're together so we don't look suspicious. Besides, I'm not in the mood to be hit on by douchebags tonight." Loki simply bent his arm in the way he had seen Midgardian men do when escorting a woman.

The line moved at a snail's pace, and the silence between Loki and Ari was growing more awkward by the second. Finally, Loki broke the silence. "Are you and the Hawkeye…involved?" Ari looked at him with a questioning look. "Why do you care?"

"I don't," he lied. "I just noticed the way you interacted with him at the base."

"I was _joking. _Natasha would kill me faster than you could say 'man-stealer' if I showed any real interest in Clint." Loki nodded absorbing the information. Then, another question came to mind. "How long have you been with S.H.E.I.L.D.?

"Why do want to know?"

"You just seem awfully young to be a Senior Agent," Ari shrugged. "Fair enough. Let's see, I've been with S.H.E.I.L.D. for…fifteen years? Yeah, just about fifteen years." Loki raised one eyebrow. "And how old are you?"

"Twenty-four."

"You joined S.H.E.I.L.D. when you were nine-years-old?"

"Well, not really joined, per say, but that's when they found me."

"What happened to your parents?"

"I don't have any." Loki noticed that she said this with sadness in her eyes, and became quiet. A cold wind blew by, and he felt Ari shiver. Without even thinking about it, he unhooked his arm from hers and took off his jacket. "What are you doing?" It was Ari's turn to ask.

"You're cold," he simply stated as he put the jacket over her shoulders.

"What about you?" Loki smiled. "I'm a Frost Giant. The cold does not affect me." Ari still seemed suspicious of him, but she accepted the jacket. Without even thinking about it, Loki wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Her body tensed up for a moment, but eventually relaxed and actually leaned into him a bit.

When they finally made their way to the front of the line, they pulled out their fake I.D.'s to show the bouncer. He examined the licenses and waved them through.

The club was packed with people. The music was blasting so loud that a bomb could have gone off and nobody would have heard it. Ari made a beeline for the bar and Loki followed. "Two Manhattans," she ordered as she sat down. Loki took the seat next to her. "Are you sure we should be drinking? We are on a mission, you know."

_It would look suspicious if we didn't have anything to drink, _she told him telepathically as the bartender set the two drinks down in front of them.

_Why are we communicating telepathically all of a sudden?_

_ It's way too loud in here. Besides, we can't draw attention to ourselves by talking about the assignment out loud._ Loki nodded and turned his attention towards the other patrons, looking for any suspicious behavior. There seemed to be two groups of people there: people dancing and people standing off to the sides making out. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

_Nothing looks unusual to me. You? _Ari asked Loki.

_Nothing._

_ If Fury gave us bad information, I'll kill him. _Just then, a man approached Ari. "Hey beautiful. Wanna dance?" he asked her.

"No," she stated curtly.

"Ah, come on. Just one dance," he pushed. Loki stood up. "Excuse me, sir, but I believe the lady said no." Though his voice was steady and calm, he was ready to tear this man apart if he found it necessary.

_Loki, don't. We can't cause a scene. _Loki, however, remained unyielding in his stance. The man wasn't backing down though. "What, are you her babysitter or something?" he mocked. Loki's eyes narrowed. Ari stepped between the two men. "No, he's my boyfriend," she said as she took Loki's hand and began pulling him towards the dance floor. The man was practically fuming, but he didn't follow them.

Ari and Loki stepped onto the dance floor, and Ari put her arms around his neck. _Come on. You have to at least look like you're dancing. _Loki began to sway awkwardly to the music. Ari giggled. _I don't understand why humans do this, _Loki grumbled.

_What, dance? Because it's fun._

_ I don't see what's fun about it._

_ It just is. _

_ You don't seem like the type to enjoy dancing._

_ I don't usually. But it's not so bad now that…_

_ Now that what? _Ari hesitated. _Now that there aren't a bunch of guys trying to grind on me._

_ What's grinding?_

_ Trust me, you don't want to know._ Suddenly, the music stopped play. The dancers stopped, looking confused. _What's going on? _Loki asked Ari.

_I don't know. I'm going to ask Hawkeye if he saw anything. _Loki waited. A look of panic washed over her face. _He's not answering. This isn't good._

_ Don't panic. We need to stay focused._

_ You're right. I think its time to disappear. _Ari put a hand on Loki's shoulder. _You can make other people invisible?_

_ Yes, but only when I'm touching them._ She guided him to the edge of the dance floor. Then, Loki noticed a man walking onto the stage. He didn't look much different from the other man in the club: his hair golden hair was slicked back and he wore a black suit. But unlike the other dancers, he didn't seem to be confused or worried. _Wait. _Loki stopped Ari. _Look on the stage. _Ari looked up and all of the color drained from her face. _What's wrong? _Loki asked.

_We have to do this quickly. _That was all she said before pulling Loki off the dance floor. _Hawkeye's not answering, so I'm going to have to get the guy on the stage. There's a couple of henchmen standing off to the sides. You take care of them. _Ari brought him to one of the gun-totting henchmen. _As soon as I let go, you'll reappear, so I would suggest that you make it quick. _She let go of him, and he punched the man in the face, immediately knocking him out.

Loki spent the next few moments taking out henchmen. One after the other, they fell to the ground like rocks. He glanced up on the stage and noticed that the man had a microphone in his hand. "Greetings, my friends," he said. "I'm sure you are all wondering why the music has stopped. It is because we are looking for someone. Perhaps you have seen her. She has white hair and purple eyes, and her name…" He stopped and swung his arm out to his side, grabbing something Loki couldn't see, but then realized what it was. "Is Elizabeth."

Ari reappeared, her fist in the man's hand. He twisted her arm, and she cried out in pain. Loki rushed to the stage door. When he swung open the door, he saw Ari on the ground and the man standing over her with a gun in his hand. "S.H.E.I.L.D. has done a good job of hiding you. But you're mine now." He grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. Then, he held a hand to his ear. "Alright, boys, we got what we came for. Let's go."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Loki said as he walked onto the stage. The man looked at him and smirked. "Ah, you most be the infamous Loki. Are you the good guy now? That's rich." He raised his gun. "Then I'll do you a favor and let you die a hero."

"No!" Ari shouted as she tried to take the gun from him. The gun went off, hitting Loki in the shoulder. He fell to his knees and clutched the wound, trying to ignore the pain. The man pushed Ari to the ground again, his back turned to Loki. "You know, Masters told me to bring you back alive. But I think he can get all the information he needs dissecting your cold, dead body!" He put his finger on the trigger. Ari starred up at him, trying her best to show no fear, but Loki could tell she was terrified. He stood up and moved towards them. Ari glanced his way. _No! Don't! He'll only kill you too! _But Loki didn't listen. Instead, he pulled out a knife, and plunged it into the man's back. He dropped the gun and fell to the floor.

At that moment, S.H.E.I.L.D. agents poured into the club. A group of five climbed onto the stage and pulled the wounded man to his feet. Ari jumped up and rushed to help Loki. "We need a medic!" she shouted as she kneeled down next to him. "Are you alright?" she asked as she examined the wound.

"It's not that bad," Loki said through gritted teeth. Two paramedics showed up with a stretcher. Ari helped them pull him onto it and followed them out. The paramedics loaded him onto the ambulance. "Ari, who was that man? And why did he call you Elizabeth?" Loki asked weakly as they drove off.

"Don't worry about it right now. Please, save your strength. I promise I'll tell you everything." She smiled down on him as she took him hand. Suddenly, the pain didn't seem that bad anymore.

Ari paced anxiously outside the operating room at the S.H.E.I.L.D. Medical Center. _It's just one little bullet. He'll be fine. He's a god, for Christ's sake! Stop worrying so much. _Just then, Ari noticed Clint walking down the hall. "Clint!" she cried, running towards him. "I thought you were dead! Why didn't you answer me?"

"Sorry. But somebody knocked me out," he said, point at his head. She saw that he had stitches in his forehead. "That bastard," she sneered.

"Yeah. Apparently that information was intentionally faulty."

"That sounds like something Ian would do."

"Ian? You know that guy?"

"I'll explain to everyone once Loki's out of surgery."

"I think somebody's a little bit too worried," Clint teased. Ari shoot him a deadly glare. "What are you implying?" she hissed.

"Just that you seem awfully protective of someone you couldn't trust at all just yesterday."

"He saved my life, Clint. Worrying about him is the least I can do." Clint sighed. "I suppose that's true. Well, I have to go turn in my report. Have fun wearing a hole in the ground pacing around." Once Clint had turned his back to her, she stuck out her tongue at him. A moment later, Bruce emerged from the operating room. "How is he?" Ari questioned as soon as she saw him.

"It was nothing major. We just had to remove the bullet and close up the wound. We'll keep him here overnight just in case, but he should be out by tomorrow."

"Can I see him?" Bruce nodded, and Ari gave him a hug, whispered a 'thank you' and ran into the room.

Loki sat up in the bed, his left shoulder wrapped up in gauze. The fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt caught her off-guard for a second, but she quickly shook it off and approached the bed. "Hey," she said. Loki looked up at her and smiled. "Hello," he responded.

"How are you feeling?"

"Great. These fluids they're giving me really dull the pain."

"Yeah, drugs will do that to you," she laughed weakly. Loki frowned. "Why do you look so guilty? I honestly didn't think you cared what happened to me."

"Well, we're part of the same team now, and teammates take care of each other."

"I don't need to be taken care of." Loki didn't mean to be cruel, but when he saw the hurt expression on Ari's face, he knew he had said something wrong. "Fine. Whatever," she snapped before storming out of the room and slamming the door behind her. He wasn't positive, but he thought he saw a tear form at the corner of her eye as she left.

Thor was on his way to see Loki when he saw Ari standing outside the medical center smoking a cigarette. "Ari! I am so glad to saw that you are not injured!" he called out as he approached her. She glanced his way and gave him a half-hearted smile. Thor stopped and gave her a questioning look. "Ari, what is wrong? Is Loki alright?"

"Oh, yeah, he's just freaking dandy. So dandy in fact that he doesn't need anyone!" Ari dropped her cigarette and crushed it with her boot. Thor let out a hearty laugh, and Ari shot him a death glare. "My brother may have a silver tongue when he lies, but not so when he tells the truth."

"What do you mean?" Ari asked.

"Simply that whatever he said to make you upset, he did not mean to hurt you. I have seen the way he gazes upon you. Trust me, he would not make you the target of his cruelty." Ari didn't say anything. She seemed distracted. Thor smiled and patted her shoulder. "I am sure that Loki will warm up to the team. Just be patient." Ari nodded, and Thor left her alone. She was a little bit confused, but she felt better as she made her way back to the base.


	4. Chapter 4

Note from the author: Hey there. I recently realized that there were some spacing issues with my chapters, so sorry if any of you were confused. I think I've fixed the problem. Anyways, enjoy!

P.S. I don't have any reviews for this story yet so do me a favor and review! It really helps encourage me to write.

Chapter Four

"Go ahead, Agent Hollow," Nick Fury instructed Ari. She stood at the front of the room, looking nervous and uncomfortable. The Avengers sat at a round table with their eyes glued to her. She looked at each of them, except for Loki. Taking a deep breath, she began her story.

"I…I wasn't born like most children. I was created in a lab by Dr. Andrew King. I grew up in a cage and only went outside once or twice during my childhood. Most of the time, Dr. King just ran test after test on me, constantly poking me with needles and cutting me open. I finally escaped when S.H.E.I.L.D stormed his lab and brought me here."

"And what does this Ian guy have to do with this?" Steve asked.

"He was Dr. King's first creation. I…grew up with him," she muttered, her face growing pale. Loki could tell she wasn't telling them everything.

"Thank you, Agent Hollow. I'll take it from here." Ari nodded and sat down in between Tiny and Natasha.

"We found Agent Hollow in a laboratory in South Africa. Her name was 'Elizabeth' then. We gave her the name Arianna Hollow when we brought her back to the S.H.E.I.L.D base. She was living in cruel and inhumane conditions. We actually wanted to bring Ian with us too, but Dr. King escaped with him. We've been searching for the two of them for years, but they have eluded us. That is, until now."

"Are there more people like Ari and Ian under his control?" Clint asked.

"As far as we know, no. But he has an army of loyal followers who will do his bidding. Though some of the information we received was faulty, we do still believe that they are a terrorist group with access to chemical weapons. We need to proceed with caution."

"What do we need to do?" Natasha asked.

"We need to start with interrogating Ian." Ari stood back up. "I want to do it," she announced.

"Agent Hollow, you are emotionally compromised. Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton will handle the interrogation."

"But-"

"My decision is final, Agent Hollow," Fury snapped. Ari didn't say anything after that. She simply glared at Fury.

"Do we have any idea where Dr. Crazy and his henchmen are hanging out?" Tony inquired.

"Not at this time, but we're looking."

"Any other information we should be aware of?" Bruce asked.

"Yes. Be careful of Ian. Our intell tells us that he has the ability to manipulate emotions. Don't let him know what you're feeling. And Agent Hollow…" He turned to the white haired girl, who looked up at him. "As a precaution, we are moving you back to the base for now. A couple agents have been sent over to your apartment to collect your things."

"What? But-"

"If Dr. King knows you're working for us, he probably knows where you live too." Ari appeared to want to protest more, but remained silent. "well, that's all I have to say. You're all dismissed."

Everyone stood up and left the room. Loki was on his way out when he noticed that Ari wasn't leaving. Remembering what his brother had said about why Ari was upset with him, he walked over to her and sat down in the seat next to her. "Thor told me that what I said had upset you. I promise you, that was not my intention."

"It's alright. You know, I never got the chance to thank you for saving my life." She looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me. The others would have probably ripped me in half if I let something happen to you." She laughed. "Well, thank you anyways." She wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him into a hug. Loki, unsure of what to do, gingerly placed his hands on her back. Though she tried to hide it, a small gasp escaped her lips when he touched her, and she quickly let go of him and stood up. "Well, I better get back to work," she announced with a feigned enthusiasm. She gave Loki a curt nod and rushed out of the room. _Oh, great, _Loki thought. _What did I do this time?_

Bad dreams plagued Ari that night. She tossed and turned in her bed as she dreamt of all of the horrors that occurred at the lab in South Africa. The knives, the needles, Ian's wicked smile… They all haunted her.

Relief finally came to her when a knock at the door woke her up. "Rise and shine!" Steve's voice called. Ari found herself wondering why Steve was at her apartment this early in the morning before she remembered. _Oh, right. I'm at the base again. _She sat up and stretched her arms over her head. "You know, I don't believe I ordered a wake up call. It is my day off, after all," she grumbled, trying to pretend that it wasn't a blessing to be roused from her sleep.

"Oh, come on. Your story's about to come on." Ari groaned. She wasn't sure which was worse, the nightmares or having to see herself on TV. "Alright, give me a sec," she ordered as she quickly got up, threw on a pair of yoga pants and a tank top and pulled her hair into messy bun. She opened the door and found Steve's smiling form standing in the doorway. "Not a morning person, huh?" he said, examining the usually well-kempt woman in her currently disheveled state.

"Bite me," she snapped as she squeezed passed him out the door and into the hallway. In the residential wing of the base, there was a little living room area with a huge flat screen TV on the wall. Bruce, Tony, and Thor sat on the big couch while Clint and Natasha shared one of the love seats. Ari noticed that Loki sat by himself on the other love seat, but mostly avoided looking at him.

"Hey there, Superstar! How does it feel to be the Avenger everyone's talking about?"

"What are you even doing here, Tony? Don't you have a company to run or something?" Ari asked.

"Nah. Pepper's got it all under control, which means I have nothing better to do than annoy you guys all day."

"Brilliant," Loki grumbled.

"Well, one of you is going to have to grab an extra chair since there's only one seat left," Bruce said as he pointed to the empty seat next to Loki.

"You take it. I'll go find a chair," Steve said, turning around to find himself a seat.

Ari looked at Loki. He gave he a weak smile, but she turned her face away as she sat down next to him.

"You better hurry, Cap! It'll be on any minute now," Tony called.

"Breaking News: There appears to be a new Avenger in town," a blonde woman wearing a red dress announced on the television screen. Just then, Steve came back with a folding chair in tow. "Made it just in time," he said as he sat down.

"A popular New York hot-spot, known as the Black Rose, was held up two nights ago. An unidentified man appeared on the stage, apparently looking for a girl named 'Elizabeth'. The man was then attacked by a white-haired woman who appeared out of nowhere and a man that bore a striking resemblance to Loki, the maniac that destroyed only a year ago. When asked for a comment, S.H.E.I.L.D. provided us with this statement: 'The woman seen in the footage is known as 'Whisper' and, yes, she is the new Avenger. The man is Loki, but he is our ally now. We realize that the public may be hesitant to accept two new Avengers, especially one with a criminal history like Loki's. But we assure everyone that he is under 24-hour surveillance and will not cause any havoc under our watch." No comment was made about the reason behind the nightclub hold up, or the identity of the mystery man. Washington correspondent William Silverman is here with us to comment on this latest development. Now, Mr. Silverman, what exactly is Director Fury thinking adding two new Avengers to the mix?"

"Well, Donna, we don't know enough about this 'Whisper' to come to any conclusions about her yet. All we know is that she can apparently turn invisible. We, however, know all too much about Loki. Not only is he responsible for the destruction of half of New York, he's also a mass murderer. Over 1500 people were killed that day and tens of thousands were injured. Even though he says he's our ally, I still think he should be locked away where nobody has to she him."

"Thank you for your input, Mr. Silverman." The news changed to a story about air pollution in the major cities in the U.S., and Tony turned off the TV. "Well, that didn't really go as I expected…" he said.

Ari looked at Loki and noticed that his expression had harden. She put her hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, you'll get the chance to prove yourself."

"What makes you think I fell the need to prove myself to a bunch of lowly humans?" he snapped as he abruptly stood up. Thor stood up to try to stop him from leaving, but Loki shot him a deadly glare, and Thor remained silent as he stormed back to his suite.

Everyone looked at Ari, waiting to see her reaction. "He's still got a long way to go, doesn't he?" she sighed. Thor smiled, knowing that she understood his brother's temper and had already forgiven him for his outburst. "Do not worry, Ari. Loki's heart may seem to be ice as ice, but I believe that it is beginning to melt, even if he does not want to admit it. Just give him some time to cool off." Ari returned his smile. "I suppose you're right. I just hope that it happens soon."

"Me too. I'm starting to get tired of his 'greater-than-thou' attitude. Ari should challenge him to a fight just to take him down a peg," Tony suggested.

"Come on, Tony, we want to teach him a little bit of humility, not totally crush his spirit," Steve joked. Everyone laughed, the tension in the room dissipating a bit.

"Agent Hollow, report to my office. Now," Fury's voice demanded over the intercom.

" Aww… come on. It's my day off," Ari complained as she stood up. "Well, better go see what he wants." She waved goodbye to everyone and left.

Later that day, Loki found himself in the training arena, letting off steam by throwing knives at human-shaped targets. He never missed his target, throwing them mostly at the head and heart. He remembered that this is where he had first seen Ari and became even more infuriated. The disapproval of the humans he could deal with (somewhat). That was something he was accustomed to. But Ari's tenderness and compassion… these things were foreign to him. How could she be so suspicious of him one day, then be trying to reassure him the next? Loki was sure that he would never be able to understand humans.

Loki heard the door to the training arena open and turned to see Clint approaching him. "I'm not exactly in the mood to talk, Barton," he snapped.

"Well, that's okay, because all you have to do is listen," he said as he picked up a bow and a quiver. "I'm not too happy about your little outburst earlier. All Ari was trying to do was help, and you pay her back by snapping at her for no reason."

"Yes, I seem to be doing an awful lot of that lately…" Loki commented. Clint wasn't sure what he heard in his voice, but he knew that Loki hadn't meant to hurt her. "You know, Ari didn't exactly fit in when she first came here either." Loki gave him a questioning look. "Yep, I remember the day that Fury brought her here. I was just a new recruit then. Poor thing looked like she hadn't eaten in days. She stayed in her room most of the time, refusing to speak to anyone for weeks. When she was forced to interact with others, she would yell and scream and kick until they left her alone. No one wanted to watch her, myself included. But eventually, she calmed down and soon afterwards, everybody loved her. Well, that is, until she hit puberty and stole every man's attention."

"Did she ever steal your attention?" Loki asked. Clint laughed as he knocked his arrow. "Don't get me wrong, she's absolutely gorgeous, but I practically raised her. She's just like a kid sister to me." Loki was relieved to hear this, though he wasn't sure why.

"Anyways, I'm telling you this little story for two reasons. One: Ari has more in common with you than you think, so don't write off her advice as empty words of sentiment. Two: Acceptance is a two-way street. In order to be accepted, you have to accept others." Clint pulled the arrow back and released it. The arrow hit one of the human-shaped targets right between the eyes. "Well, that's all I had to say on the matter. Please, continue venting your frustrations on a helpless mannequin." Clint replaced the bow and quiver and made his exit.

Loki tried continuing his knife throwing after he left, but surprisingly enough, his conversation with the archer proved to cool his rage, and he quickly gave up. "Looks like I'm going to have to apologize."

"You want me to do _what_?" Ari asked as she stood in Fury's office in complete shock.

"You heard me. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is coming up soon, and you're going to join the others on the Avengers float."

"Since when did the Avengers become a marketing gimmick?"

"Since they saved the world from being taken over by aliens," Fury answered. Ari crossed her arms. "I just don't see why I have to do it."

"For the time being, you have to at least pretend you're friendly. The public is starting to question S.H.E.I.L.D.'s intentions after the whole Loki reveal, and they need to know that the other new addition to the team is and has always been on their side."

"I never pegged you as a people-pleaser, Director Fury."

"Trust me, Agent Hollow, this is not my favorite part of the job, but it's something that must be done." Ari sighed. "Alright, but I'm not doing any celebrity endorsements. That's the Captain's thing."


	5. Chapter 5

Note from the author: Hey, everyone! Still no reviews yet, as you can see. Come on, guys! Help a sister out. If there's something you like, tell me, and if there's something you don't like, let me know about that too.

Chapter Five

"Should we tell her?" Natasha asked Clint as they made their way to the interrogation room.

"Why? So she can watch? I don't think that's such a good idea, Natasha," Clint answered.

"She deserves answers, Clint."

" You weren't there when they first brought her here. She was terrified of everyone and everything and I think this Ian guy has something to do with it. She's already shaken up. Letting her witness the interrogation would only make it worse."

"I still think we should tell her."

"Tell her what?" a voice asked them. They turned around to find Loki leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed. The two assassins looked at each other. Clint gave Natasha a look that said 'don't tell him' but she ignored it. "We're going to interrogate Ian, and I think that Ari should be there to hear what he has to say."

"And I think that's a terrible idea," Clint retorted. Natasha looked at Loki. "Well? What do you think?"

"Why do you care what I think?"

"As much as we wouldn't like to admit it, you're part of the team now. Your input matters." Loki thought about it for a minute. "I agree with the Black Widow," he answered. Clint threw his arms up in frustration, but didn't say anything. "Barton, I understand that you want to protect her, but she is no longer the scared, trembling child that was brought here fifteen years ago. She is more than capable of protecting herself."

"Fine," Clint spat. "But you're going to be there too, and if Ian tries anything, you get her out of there as soon as possible. Deal?"

"Deal," Loki agreed, and the three of them went to find Ari.

_He's been here for days. Why haven't they interrogated him yet? _Ari sat in the lobby looking up at the ceiling with a contemplative look on her face. _Surely he knows where King is. I need to know. _Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Clint, Natasha, and Loki approaching her. Clint seemed to be frustrated while Natasha looked nervous. Loki simply avoided making eye contact.

"Something wrong?" she asked. Clint and Natasha glanced at each other. Natasha took a deep breath. "We're going to interrogate Ian, and we think you should be there."

"_You _think she should be there," Clint corrected.

"Loki and I agree that you should here what he has to say. Clint is somewhat hesitant."

Ari stood up. "Thank you, Natasha." She gave Ari a half-hearted smile and gestured for her to follow them. They walked in a square formation, with Clint and Natasha in the front and Loki and Ari taking up the rear. Ari looked at Loki, but he still refused to glance her way.

_Loki? _She asked telepathically. She noticed that he looked slightly surprised, but he didn't respond.

_Loki, please. What's wrong?_

_ Are you not angry with me?_

_ For what?_

_ For what I said yesterday? _Ari paused. _No, I'm not angry. _

_ Why not?_

_ Why do you care?_

_ I don't. I've just never met a mortal who can dole out forgiveness so easily._

_ Look, I carry enough anger with me as it is. I don't need to burden myself with more. _She said nothing after this. Loki glanced at her and realized that she was the one refusing to look at him now, her expression unreadable. He found himself wishing he possessed her ability to read thoughts.

The group of four finally made their way to the lowest floor of the base. Clint and Natasha led Ari and Loki to a single white door in a long hallway. "You two will go in here. There will be one-way glass, so you can see us but we can't see you. And Loki, remember our deal," Clint warned. Loki nodded, and the two assassins left.

Ari and Loki stepped into the room. Loki saw Ari stiffen when she saw Ian sitting at a table by himself behind the glass with a smug look on his face. Ari's hands curled into fists. "What I'd give to smack that satisfied look off his face," she sneered, seeming to forget that someone else was in the room with her.

Clint and Natasha entered the room with Ian. Ian's smile grew as the two stood at the other end of the table. "Good Morning, Agent Barton and Agent Romanoff. At least, I assume it's morning. Can't really tell being looked up in an underground jail cell."

"If it's all the same to you, Ian, I would like to skip the pleasantries," Natasha stated curtly.

"Very well."

" Why did you hold up the club?" Clint asked.

"To find Elizabeth of course. Oh, wait, what is it you people call her? Arianna?" Loki noticed Ari's nostrils flare. _Perhaps letting her be here was not a good idea. _

"Why?" Natasha asked him.

"She belongs to Dr. King."

"Why do you think that?"

"He created her. She would be nothing without him."

"Why did he create her?"

"Because he could."

"Where is he?" Clint asked. Ari listened fiercely for the answer.

"I don't know."

"He's lying," Ari sneered.

"I think you do know where he is, Ian," Natasha replied.

"And even if I did, why would I tell you?"

"Because it's in your best interest to do so."

"Is that so?" Ian leaned back in his chair and laced his hands behind his head. "Are you threatening me, Agent Romanoff?"

"Perhaps."

"You are a mere human. What could you possibly do to me?" In one quick movement, Natasha pulled out a knife and held it to his throat. Ian laughed. "How very unoriginal of you."

"Don't tempt me."

_Natasha, remember what Fury said. He can manipulate emotions. Don't let him get inside your head, _Ari told her. Natasha reluctantly put the knife back and leaned against the back wall.

"What is your relationship with Agent Hollow?" Clint questioned. Ian's smirk grew into a wicked smile. "Oh, she has not told you, then?"

"She's told us that she grew up with you." Ian released a cruel laugh. "Oh, is that all?"

Ari broke out in a cold sweat. Loki witnessed her body beginning to tremble. _What is he talking about? _He thought. Suddenly, an unexplainable anger took a hold of him. It drowned out every sight, every sound every thought. _What is happening to me? _He clutched his head, as if trying to keep the fury from pouring out of him.

Ari turned around and saw Loki struggling. "Loki, what's wrong?" she asked.

"I. Don't. Know," he stuttered, trying desperately to contain his rage. Ari's eyes widened. "He knows you're here. He's trying to manipulate you."

_Look at her. That pathetic fool. You don't care about her._ The voice in Loki's head sounded like him, but he knew it wasn't his. It was Ian.

_Loki, listen to me. You can't let him in. You can't listen to him. Fight it. _Ari's voice provided little relief. The anger continued to swell. He hadn't felt this kind of rage since the day he found out he was adopted. _Nobody cares about you. Not your father. Not your brother. Not even your mother._

Ari placed her hands on his shoulder. _Loki, listen to me. Don't listen to what he's saying. Concentrate on me._

_ Are you going to let that pathetic mortal touch you? _The thoughts just kept coming. He couldn't stop them.

_He may be strong, Loki, but you're stronger. Please, try to-_ She didn't have the chance to finish because, at that moment, Loki brought his hand up and backhanded her across the face. He hit her with such force that she fell to the ground. The rage still built up inside of him, but this time, it was directed at himself. _Look at what you did. Look at the monster you are. _

"Shut up!" he growled through gritted teeth. Ari rose back to her feet and, without looking at Loki, turned towards the window. Her body was completely still.

"Ari?" Loki whispered, still fighting off the anger. He looked through the window and realized what was happening; Ian was clutching his he just like Loki was, screaming in pain. Natasha and Clint were backing away, unsure of what was going on. Loki felt the rage release him, and he quickly like himself again. The struggle, however, had drained him. He leaned against the wall trying to catch his breath.

Ari turned around and saw Loki's weakened state. "Are you alright?" she asked. Loki simply nodded, as he still hadn't quite caught his breath. Suddenly, the pair heard Ian cackling from the other room. "I knew you were there, Ari. Remember, we're connected. I can feel you. In more ways than one," he snickered. Ari's expression hardened, but she said nothing, instead coming closer to Loki.

Clint left the interrogation room, and a few seconds later appeared in the room Loki and Ari were in. "You guys have to get out of here. He knows you're…" He stopped when he noticed the red handprint on Ari's face. His eyes shot towards Loki. "Did you hit her?" he asked.

"Clint, please, it was an…" Ari wasn't even able to finish the sentence before had Loki pinned against the wall with a knife to his throat. "You worthless son of a bitch! Man, if there weren't cameras all over the place I swear I'd kill you right here, right now!"

"Clint!" Ari shouted as she pulled him by the collar and threw him to the floor, placing her boot on his chest. Clint stared at the ceiling in shock. "Clint, Loki was under Ian's influence. He didn't have control over himself. You should know better than any of us what that's like."

Ari let her foot off of Clint and he stood back up. "Fine. But if he hurts you again, he's dead," he growled as he stormed out of the room. Ari just sighed and shook her head, turning back to Loki. "Let's get you back to your apartment. Can you walk?"

"I think so," he said as he gently pushed himself away from the wall. He was able to stand on his own, but stumbled a little as he walked towards her. Knowing that he would surely reject any help she offered her, she simply said, "I'll walk with you." He wanted to argue, but in truth, he was afraid that he might pass out on the way there. It would be so much more humiliating for some hapless cadet to find his unconscious body than for Ari to follow him back to his apartment. He nodded, and the two left.

Loki made it most of the trip, and suddenly felt weaker as they approached the door to his place. Ari quickly wrapped her arm around his waist. "I've gotcha," she assured him.

"This is undignified," he grumbled.

"I could let go if you want." He shot her a deadly glare. She responded with a sweet smile that made his expression soften ever so slightly. Ari typed in the security code to unlock to door. "How do you know my code?" he asked.

"Fury gave it to all of the Avengers just in case you decided you wanted to turn on us," she replied. The door opened, and they entered. Ari quickly brought him to the bedroom. She let go of him so that he could lay down on the bed. "Get some rest. You'll need it," she said as she turned to leave.

"Wait," he said and she stopped. She turned back around and gave him a questioning look. "What did you do back there?" Ari tilted her head to the side like she didn't know what he was talking about. "Don't look at me like that. I know you had something to do with what happened to Ian." Ari slightly away from him and sighed. "I can…cause people pain. It's an ability that I don't like to use, but I didn't know how else to make him stop." Loki was surprised that someone who seemed so forgiving and compassionate could have an ability like that. But she did help break Ian's control over him.

"Now if that's all, then I'll leave you alone," Ari said.

"One more thing. What was he talking about when they asked him about your relationship to him?" Loki watched the color drain from Ari's face. "Loki, you have to understand," she began, her voice shaking. "He did things to me that I haven't told anyone, not even Clint. I…I can't…" Tears welled up in her eyes. Loki stood up and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to," he assured her. Ari quickly wiped away the tears. "You know, this isn't the man that tried to take over the world," she laughed.

"What do you mean?"

"The man who tried to take over the world was cold, heartless, and cruel. The man standing in front of me is not that man. What changed?" Loki sat down and the bed, and Ari did the same. "It was the way my mother looked at me when Thor brought me back to Asgard. The expression of pity and disappointment was almost too much to bare." Ari didn't say anything, knowing that what Loki needed was simply someone to listen.

"I realized how arrogant and childish I had acted. I let her down." Ari noticed him looking off into nothing. She gingerly placed a hand on his arm. "If she had seen what you did for me at the club, I know she would be proud." Loki remained silent.

Ari smiled and stood up. "Well, you had better get some rest." Loki didn't want her to leave, but he couldn't think of a reason to make her stay. He simply watched her until she disappeared behind the door. Lying back down, he stared at the ceiling, her words turning over in his head. _If she had seen what you did for me at the club, I know she would be proud. _As he drifted off to sleep, he hoped that she was right.


	6. Chapter 6

Note from the author: Wow, two chapters in two days! I'm on fire! Well, here you guys go. Enjoy!

And thanks to **PeaceisGood **for writing the first review on this story!

Chapter Six

"Where are the others?" Loki asked as he noticed that Bruce and Ari seemed to be the only Avengers around. In fact, there weren't very many normal agents around either. They both sat in the living room area with the TV on. He noticed they looked unusually casual; Bruce wore a his usual button-down shirt and slacks, but it was un tucked and his posture was more relaxed than usual, and Ari wore an over-sized orange sweater, black pants, and black boots, and her hair was down, coming to her shoulders in waves of white. Bruce was watching the TV while Ari sat reading a newspaper and smoking a cigarette. When he spoke, they both looked up at him.

"Everyone else is in the parade," Bruce answered Loki, and turned to Ari. "By the way, weren't you suppose to be on the Avengers float?"

"Clint reported the little 'incident' with the interrogation to Fury and he decided that putting me in a 'high-stress' environment wasn't the best idea at the moment," she answered, turning back to her paper and taking a drag of her cigarette.

"Welcome to my world," Bruce responded.

"Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is a parade?" Loki asked. Bruce pointed to the TV. "People build these huge floats and drive them down the street to celebrate some holiday. In this case, it's Thanksgiving."

"Thanksgiving?"

"It's when you sit around the table with your family, tell each other what you're thankful for, then stuff your face with turkey and mashed potatoes," Ari responded.

"I do not understand." Ari shrugged. "I'm not sure anyone else does either. But we do it every year anyway."

Loki sat down on the love seat opposite Ari. She glanced up from her paper and gave him a sincere smile. The two had had few chances to interact that past week. Ari, Thor, and Tony had been sent on an assignment that had taken a few days. The first day she was gone, he was simply bored. He simply entertained himself by tormenting clueless agents. After the second day, though, he began to worry. _Why should I worry about her? She's just a human,_ he told himself, but he knew it was a lie. Ari was no ordinary human. She was exceptional.

Ari put out her cigarette and lit a new one. "Those things will kill you, you know," Bruce pointed out.

"If only," she snorted as she took a drag. Bruce rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the TV.

"What is that?" Loki asked as a giant white dog appeared on the screen.

"That's the Snoopy balloon," Bruce answered.

"I'll never understand you humans."

"Hey look! There they are," Bruce exclaimed. Ari folded her paper and turned her attention to the screen. The rest of the Avengers appeared on a massive metal float painted red, white, and blue. The stood on different levels, all of them waving at the crowd that surrounded them on either side.

"Look at the Captain. He looks like he's having the time of his life," Ari pointed out. Loki noticed that he did look very happy.

"Clint and Natasha definitely look like they don't want to be there," Ari continued. The two assassins gave the crowd half-hearted smiles as they waved, not bothering to make eye contact with the citizens like Steve was.

"Yeah, I bet they're cursing our names right now for getting out of it," Bruce joked. Ari laughed.

"And look at them, Sharon, aren't they popular!" one of the newscasters commented.

"Yeah, they sure are stirring up the crowd! But where is the newest member of the team? What are they calling her…Whisper?"

"That's right, Sharon. We actually received a statement saying that both the Incredible Hulk and Whisper are taking a leave of absence right now."

"Well, I suppose even heroes need a break every once in a while." Ari rolled her eyes. "What a couple of bimbos," she grumbled. The heroes continued to wave at the crowd, and the crowd responded with cheers of praise.

"You know, April, the Avengers have stirred up quite a controversy recently."

"That's right, Sharon. Loki's back, and they seem to think he's a good guy now."

"Oh, not this again," Bruce complained. He picked up the remote to change the channel, but the sound of an explosion stopped him. The three glued their eyes to the television. The entire screen was covered with fire and smoke.

"A bomb," Ari whispered with a trembling voice. Alarms began to ring throughout the entire situation. "We have an emergency situation. Every available agent is to report to the parade site immediately. This is not a drill," Fury's voice announced over the intercom.

Ari jumped up. "Well, what the hell are you two waiting?" she snapped as she ran past the two men. Bruce and Loki simply gave each other a knowing glance and followed her.

The site of the explosion was utter chaos. The smoke still hadn't cleared yet, and it was hard to see. People lay on the ground covered in dust and blood. Loki had already lost track of Bruce and Ari. Helping people was not something he was use to, but in that moment he knew he had to do something. He saw a woman lying on her back in the middle of the street. He crouched down next to her and checked her pulse. It was there, but it was faint. Sirens blared in the distance. He scooped up the woman in his arms.

"What's going on?" the woman asked, her voice barely audible.

"We're getting you out of here," Loki assured her. He waited for her to respond, but she had passed out again. He found the ambulance and a paramedic took the woman from him and put her on a gurney. Despite himself, he hoped that she was going to be alright.

Loki continued this process with several more people, finding them and bringing them to the paramedics. He had helped about five people before he heard the scream. "Help! Someone please, I need help!" His heart sank when he realized who the voice belonged to. _Ari._

He quickly followed the voice, and found her trying to lift up a piece of concrete. Her clothes were slightly singed, and her white hair seemed to have turned gray with the ash falling in it. "Ari!" he shouted as he ran to her. She looked up. "Loki! I need your help!"

"What's wrong?"

"It's Natasha!" she answered pointing down. Loki noticed head of red hair sticking out from underneath the concrete. "I've tried, but I can't get it off of her!" Loki immediately grabbed the other side of the concrete. Together, they pulled with all their might. _Damn! Where the hell is Thor when you need him? _Loki thought as he struggled to even move the thing. He looked over at Ari and noticed that her hands were bleeding. "Ari, your hands!"

"Don't worry about me. Just keep pushing!" As much as he wanted to argue, he knew that Ari wouldn't give up, so he kept pushing. A wave of relief washed over him when he felt the concrete slab move. They both put their last ounce of strength into pushing it off of Natasha. Ari put her hands on her knees, breathing heavily. Loki picked up Natasha and was surprised to find that she was still breathing. "Ari, let me see your hands," Loki ordered. She lifted her palms to him, and he watched her wounds heal right before his eyes. "I told you. Don't worry about me," she assured him between gasps of air.

"Hey!" someone shouted and the two turned to see Fury running towards them. "I'll take it from here," he said as he took Natasha from Loki. "You two, report to S.H.E.I.L.D. Medical Center immediately."

"I'm-" Ari began to protest, but Fury shot her a deadly glare. "_Now, _Agent Hollow." Ari nodded and headed towards the hospital, with Loki close behind.

The Medical Center was madness. Doctors and nurses scrambled around frantically, trying to treat as many patients as possible. Ari and Loki rushed to the emergency room. "Captain!" she shouted when she saw Steve. He sat on a gurney with a nurse wrapping his right arm in gauze. "How's everyone else?"

"The only one I know about is Clint, and he's got a broken leg, but other than that, he's fine. He's going crazy trying to figure out what happened to Natasha, though." Ari and Loki exchanged a look. "What's wrong?" Steve asked.

"Natasha's not in good shape, Captain. We had to lift a giant piece of concrete off of her. She was barely breathing," Ari told him, her voice choking up. Steve gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "She'll be alright, Ari. She's a fighter." Ari nodded, not looking at him. Loki wanted desperately to assure her like the Captain was, but he was less of an optimist.

"Where's Tony?" a female voice asked behind them. They turned around to find Pepper standing there, a worried expression on her face. "I'm sorry Pepper, but we haven't seen him," Ari answered.

"No need to fret, ladies, I'm right here," Tony announced as he approached the group. Pepper ran to him and put her arms around his neck. "Thank God you were wearing your suit."

"Yeah, the old iron shell sure comes in handy when someone's trying to kill you," he commented.

"Is everyone alright?" Thor's voice boomed as he entered the room with Jane by his side. He had a few cuts and bruises, but seemed to be fine.

"Alright, let's do a roll call. The Captain's here, Thor's here, Ari and Loki are here. Banner is busy treating patients. Anyone know anything about Barton?" Tony asked.

"Broken leg, but nothing really serious," Steve responded.

"What about Agent Romanoff?" Loki watched Ari take a deep breath in an attempt to contain her emotions.

"The Black Widow is not doing well, though we do not know the specifics of her condition," Loki answered.

"God, I hope she makes it," Jane said.

"We need to find Dr. Banner. Maybe he knows something about Natasha," Steve said as he stood up.

"No need, I'm right here," Bruce said as he walked up to the group looking extremely tired.

"How is she?" Ari asked.

"She's in a coma. I have no idea when she'll get out of it." Ari's face went white as soon as the words left Bruce's mouth. Loki put his hands on her shoulders. "Does Barton know?" He asked Bruce.

"Yeah. He refuses to leave her side." Loki heard Ari release a quiet sob that no one else heard. Tony noticed Ari's distressed look. "Cub Scout, why don't you take her back to base?" Loki nodded, released her shoulders and placed a back on her back, leading her out of the hospital. She didn't resist, didn't argue, didn't even say one word as they walked out the front doors.

The next day, Loki walked to the conference room wondering what Fury wanted. He knew it had something to do with the bombing, but he wasn't sure what. He opened the door and found that the rest of the Avengers were there as well. Everyone except Ari, Clint, and Natasha.

"Have a seat, Loki. We have a lot to talk about," Fury ordered.

"Where is Ari?" Loki asked.

"Ari is at the bombing site helping to look for and treat any survivors." Loki nodded, closed the door, and sat down.

"What is about to be said is not to leave this room, is that understood?" the group nodded, and Fury continued. "We believe that Dr. King was responsible for the bombing yesterday. We're not sure what exactly his motivation is behind these attacks, but we need to interrogate Ian again. And no one, I repeat, no one is going to tell Agent Hollow about this."

"Why not?" Loki questioned.

"If she knows that Dr. King did this to get to her, she'll blame herself. She is already in a fragile state. We don't need to make it worse."

"She deserves to know the truth. Besides, how do you plan on hiding it from her when she can read thoughts?"

"She can only read minds when someone let's her in. Unless one of us allows her to come in, she will remain ignorant," Bruce corrected.

"There you people go again, treating her like a child," Loki hissed.

"Loki, we're not to happy about this either, but there's nothing we can do. We have to protect her from the truth," Steve told him.

"Yes, I know all too well about being protected from the truth," Loki snapped as he stood up and stormed out of the room.

"Brother!" Loki heard Thor shout as he stomped down the hallway.

"Thor, you are the last person I wish to speak with at the moment!"

"Loki, please," Thor said as he grabbed his brother's shoulder, stopping him in his track. "I understand that you possess a deep admiration and respect for Ari, but we mustn't upset her anymore. She has experienced much sadness in her life. Please, do not burden her with more." Loki sighed. "Do you not think that she will find out eventually?"

"I know she will, but at the right time. Until then, we must find out all we can about Ian and Dr. King. We will do all we can to protect her, Loki." Loki simply shook his brother off and disappeared into his apartment.


	7. Chapter 7

Note from the author: Me again! So I finally figured out how to do the line thing, so hopefully the transitions won't be so confusing. I might go back and put them in the other chapters. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. There's kind of a lot crammed in here.

Chapter Seven

The bombing site was taped off and surrounded by white medical tents. Loki went to each one looking for Ari and found her stitching up a man sitting on a gurney. She wore a set of scrubs with her hair pulled into a messy bun. "There you go," she said with a smile as the man thanked her and jumped off the gurney. Ari turned around and gave him a weak smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. I haven't seen you around the base the past few days." He noticed that she had dark circles under her eyes. "Yeah, I've been really busy helping out here. Are you with someone?" she said.

"No. Furry seems to think I no longer need to be chaperoned everywhere after the bombing incident."

"I'm glad to hear it. Well, I wish I could stay and chat, but…"

"Why don't you take a break, Ari?" Bruce told her as he passed the two, carrying a large box. He made eye contact with Loki, and Loki nodded in understanding. "Thanks, Bruce," Ari said and turned to Loki. "Well, shall we walk?" she offered.

"Of course," he said and the two left the tent.

"I'm sorry, I probably look like hell right now."

"You simply look weary. Are you sure you don't need to rest?"

"No, I'm fine." Loki wondered how much harder she would push herself if she knew that the bombing was more than likely Dr. King's doing. "Is something wrong?" she asked him, noticing his distracted look.

"No, nothing," he answered. Ari gave him a look that told him she didn't believe him, but she didn't press the issue. "So what's the death count?" Loki asked.

"Twenty-three so far, but there are still some people who are missing," Ari said with a pained expression on her face.

The two remained silent for a while. Loki looked around and saw all of the firefighters looking for survivors, the nurses and doctors treating victims, and S.H.E.I.L.D. agents investigating the scene. Pretty much everyone was covered with ash and blood. "Is this what it was like after the Chitarui invasion?" he asked. Ari stopped and gave him a saddened look. "Loki…"

"Answer the question," he demanded.

"No. It was much worse," she answered honestly. He looked away from her, not willing to admit that he felt ashamed for what he had done. Ari gently placed a hand on either side of his face, forcing him to look at her. "Loki, I didn't mean to make you feel guilty. What you did was wrong, but that's in the past. You're a different person now." He smiled down at her, trying to hide the new guilt that was building inside of him. She had been so honest with him, but he couldn't do the same for her.

Suddenly, Ari closed her eyes and fell forward. Loki caught her, pulling her back to her feet. Her eyes fluttered open again. "Ari, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just a little sleepy," she said with a yawn. Loki picked her up. "I think you need to go home." Ari blinked at him, slightly surprised, but she didn't argue. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and resting her head on his chest. Loki tried to ignore the warmth growing in his chest as she fell asleep in his arms.

Nick Fury and Ian sat across from each other in the interrogation room. Each of the Avengers (except, of course, Natasha and Ari) waited on the other side of the one-way glass. The room was not very big, but they all wanted to be there in case things got out of hand again. Steve, Bruce, and Thor were standing right in front of the glass, leaning in as if they could hear the thoughts going through Ian's mind simply by getting closer. Tony stood with his hands in his pockets, trying to look completely unaffected by the whole situation. Clint sat in a fold-out chair with his broken leg stretched out, cracking his knuckles (a nervous habit of his). Loki leaned against the back wall with his arms crossed, a blank expression on his face as per usual.

"My, my, being questioned by Director Fury himself. This is truly an honor, but I have to ask, why?"

"Gee, guys, who does he remind you of?" Tony asked. All of the Avengers glanced back at Loki. He scowled. "Don't look at me like that. I'm nothing like him."

"Maybe not anymore, but you were," Steve pointed out. Loki rolled his eyes.

"Are you sure you should even be here after what happened last time?" Loki shot a deadly glare at Clint. "Ian caught me off guard last time. It won't happen again," he assured them.

"Would you guys pipe down? We came here to figure out whether or not Ian had anything to do with the bombing, not to listen to you ladies bicker," Tony exclaimed.

"The Man of Iron is right. We need to remember why we are here," Thor interjected. Clint and Loki then proceeded to ignore each other and concentrated on the interrogation.

"You're talking in circles, Ian," Fury said. Loki realized that he had missed some of what they had said, and mentally chastised himself for entertaining the others' idiotic ramblings.

"Am I?" Ian questioned, leaning back in his chair with a smug look on his face.

"Yes, you are. Care to give me a straight answer?"

"Am I giving you curvy answers, Director Fury?"

"Ian, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. The choice is up to you." The men on the other side of the glass were so focused on Fury and Ian that none of them heard the door open behind them.

"I'm going to ask you one more time, Ian. Is your group responsible for the bombing of the parade?" Ian's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Of course. We were thought that Elizabeth would be in the parade and the bomb would incapacitate her long enough to take her back, but sadly, the plan didn't work out that way."

Just then, the Avengers heard a gasp, and turned around to find Ari standing in the doorway. She wore her training uniform, as if she had been searching for someone to spar with. She held onto the doorway with white-knuckled intensity, and her face looked absolutely horrified. "It's all my fault," she whispered. Loki wanted desperately to comfort her, but he didn't know how. "Ari, you mustn't…" he began, but she ran from to room at full speed. Loki tried to pursue her, but Thor put a hand on his shoulder. "No, brother. Give her some time to be upset. I have found many times that when it comes to women, they will not want to talk to anyone when they are upset. Give her some time." Loki begrudgingly followed his advice and stayed behind.

Several days went by before Loki even saw Ari again. It was during lunch and, while most of the other agents were in the cafeteria, she was in the training arena, beating the hell out of a punching bag. He realized that she was still upset and knew that he should leave her alone, but the past few days had been agonizing. He entered the room.

Sweat practically poured out of her as she hit the punching bag. "Ari," Loki whispered, but she didn't look at him. He thought he didn't hear him, so he spoke up. "Ari, please…" She still didn't acknowledge him. Desperate to get her attention, her placed his hand on her shoulder. Just then, she swung around and decked him right in the face. She hit him with such force that he lost his footing and fell to the ground.

"Oh my god, Loki, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed as she knelt down beside him, tenderly placing a hand on the spot where her fist had made contact with his face. He looked up at her and noticed tears streaming down her face. "Does it hurt?" she asked him.

"You don't have to worry about me. In fact, I should be the one apologizing to you. I should have told you Fury's suspicions," he said as he reached up and wiped away a tear. He was surprised when she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. "It's alright. It wasn't your decision."

"Then why are you crying?"

"People keep getting hurt because of me, Loki, and they'll keep getting hurt until King gets what he wants." Loki put his hands on her shoulders. "Ari, do _not _start thinking like that. It only leads to sadness." Ari blinked, obviously at a loss for words. Finally, she found her words. "Thank you," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Although it had been a while since he had experienced such a compassionate embrace, he accepted it and wrapped his arms around her waist.

They stayed like that for a while, neither willing to break the embrace, but eventually, they let go. "Well, we'd better go. Fury's probably out of his mind looking for us," Ari said as she stood up and offered him a hand. He took it and she pulled him up. "You know, you have a pretty nasty right hook," he joked as he touched the spot where she hit him. She began to laugh, but the laughing turned into coughing. She coughed so much that she put her hand on the wall to support herself.

"Are you alright?" Loki asked, his concern growing. She put her hand over her mouth and left out a long series of coughs. When she pulled her hand away, he saw something that made his heart drop: blood.

"We have to find Banner." Loki tried to keep his voice even, but a hint of panic escaped when he spoke. Ari simply nodded as Loki led her out of the room.

By the time Loki had found Bruce, he was practically carrying Ari. Bruce was in the lab, and as soon as he saw the state Ari was in, he dropped what he was doing. "What's wrong?" he asked Loki.

"Bruce, it's happening again," Ari said weakly. Loki gave Bruce a questioning look. Bruce mouthed the words 'I'll explain later' and picked up Ari. "Don't worry, kiddo. We'll get you to the hospital, and you'll be back to normal in no time. He told one of his assistance to clear off a table. He did so, and Bruce placed Ari on top of it. He gestured for another assistant to come over and whispered something in his eye. The assistant nodded and rushed off. A few moments later, he came back with a glass of water and a bottle of pills. With Bruce's help, Ari sat up and took two pills. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her body was covered with sweat. Loki moved next to her and took her hand. "You're going to be alright," he assured her.

Two paramedics pulling a gurney entered the lab. Loki reluctantly let go of her hand as they loaded her onto the gurney, strapping her in. As they left, Loki tried to follow them, but Bruce put his hand out. "I'm going with her," Loki insisted, but Bruce shook his head. "Trust me. She won't want you to see her like that."

"Banner, what the hell is going on?" Loki snapped.

"Don't worry. She'll be okay. This happens once every few years. Her body begins to shut down, and she has to go to the hospital for treatment."  
"What do you mean her body shuts down?"

"Dr. King's procedure for creating mutants was revolutionary, but it wasn't perfect," Bruce answered.

"How long will she be gone?"

"A few days." Loki looked away from Bruce, absorbing this new information. "So I will not be able to see her?" he guessed.

"Only if she let's you, but I doubt she will. The treatment she has to go through is pretty painful, and she doesn't exactly like to show people her vulnerable side."

Loki's mind turned with everything that could go wrong, but he did not express his concerns. Instead, he left the lab and began thinking of ways to break into the hospital.


	8. Chapter 8

Note from the author: Well, this is embarrassing. Apparently, I didn't figure out the line thing. If someone knows, please tell me. In the meantime, I'll try to figure out how to indicate a transition. Anyways, I'm gonna go ahead and warn you guys that you'll probably hate me after this chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter Eight

When Ari woke up, the only sound she heard was the beeping of the heart rate monitor. _God, what time is it? _she thought as she sat up and looked at the clock sitting on the nightstand. _2:15 a.m._ Hugging her legs and resting her head on her knees, she let out an audible groan. She knew she wouldn't be getting back to sleep anytime soon. _God, I really wish I could smoke._

Suddenly, she heard the door to her room open. She looked up and discovered Dr. Reynolds standing in the doorway. "I was just checking in on you. How are you feeling?" he asked. Something about his voice seemed off, and for a moment, Ari wasn't quite sure. Then, it clicked. Her lips curled up in a knowing grin. "You're not fooling me, Loki. Drop the act."

Loki smirked as the illusion faded away. "I'm assuming Bruce told you not to come here?" Ari guessed.

"Yes."

"And you came anyway?"

"I told you, I'm not one for taking orders." Ari sighed. "Why did you come here?" Loki frowned. "I came to make sure you were alright."

"You could have just called. S.H.E.I.L.D. did issue you a cellphone, didn't they?"

"I have no patience for that infernal contraption," Loki grumbled. Ari laughed. "You Asgardians and your aversion to technology." Loki smirked sat down beside her. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Better…and worse. It's hard to explain." Loki nodded as he examined her body. Ari suddenly felt extremely self-conscious with him looking at her like that, especially since she wasn't wearing a bra. She made a mental note to thank Renee for bringing her a tank top and pajama pants so she wouldn't have to wear the hospital gown. "Would you please stop looking at me like that?" she said as she pulled her blanket around her body.

"Like what?" he questioned with a confused expression. Ari let out an exasperated groan and jumped off the bed. "Never mind. Let's go."

"Where you we going?"

"We're going to see Natasha," Ari answered. "But first, I'm gonna need you to conjure up an illusion to make it look like I'm still in the bed." Loki nodded, and not two seconds later an image of Ari sleeping appeared in the bed. "Great. Now we need to disguise ourselves." A flash of light appeared over the two, and they instantly transformed into a doctor and a nurse. "Perfect!" Ari exclaimed.

The pair made their way down the hallway and found Natasha's room. Loki abandoned his illusion as they approached the woman's lifeless form. Ari's face fell as she took Natasha's hand. "I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist. If it were any other man, she would have kicked his ass. But she knew that Loki wasn't trying to take advantage of her vulnerability. He was simply trying to comfort her in the best way he knew how. Despite everything he had done in the past, she trusted him.

Ari let go of Natasha's hand and turned around to face Loki, putting her hands on his chest. "Loki, remember when you asked me about what happened between Ian and me?" Loki raised an eyebrow and nodded. "I've never told anyone about what it, but…" she trailed off.

"But what?" he asked.

"I…I feel like I can trust you," she finished as she looked up at him, half-expecting him to laugh in her face for her foolish human sentiment. Instead, he pressed his forehead against hers. "You don't have to if you don't want to," he assured her.

"No, I need to. I can't let it control me anymore." Ari took a deep breath as she gathered her strength. "What Dr. King did to be was awful. He performed tests and experiments on me daily. But Ian…he did things to me that no grown man should ever do to a little girl. He would…he would." Ari wished she could slap herself for choking up so easily.

To her surprise, he pulled her closer so that her head was resting on his chest. "You don't have to say it. I know what you mean." He said this with an edge in his voice. "What's wrong?" Ari questioned.

"Let's just say that Ian is lucky that he is protected by that cell," he sneered. Ari laughed. "Why so protective of me all of a sudden?" Loki put his hand under her chin and tilted her head up, forcing her to look him in the eye. The look on his face was completely foreign to her, and she didn't know what to make of it. "Because you're worth protecting."

Ari was completely speechless. Nobody had every said anything like that to her before. She didn't know what to do, what to say. She didn't even know what she should be feeling.

All of a sudden, she realized that he had closed his eyes, and his face was coming closer. She wasn't sure why, but she closed her eyes and began to stand on her toes. Before she knew it, their lips were no more than two centimeters away.

"Clint?" a weak voice whispered. The two opened their eyes and turned to look at Natasha. Her head moved to the side, and she opened her eyes. "Ari? Loki? Where's Clint?" she asked. Ari immediately broke away and kneeled down next to the bed. "Natasha, can you hear me?"

"Yeah… Ari, what happened?"

"It's a long story," she said as she stood up and stuck her head out of the doorway. "We need a doctor in here!" she yelled, and she returned to Natasha's side. "It's gonna be alright!" she assured her. Two nurses and a doctor rushed into the room. "What are you two doing here?" the doctor demanded as the nurses ran to either side of the bed.

"Shut up and help her!" Ari ordered. The doctor was a bit taken aback, but he did as he was told. Ari picked up the phone sitting on the nightstand and dialed a number. "Clint! You have to come to the hospital right away! Yes, I know what time it is, but it doesn't matter! Natasha's waking up!" She slammed the phone back onto the receiver and took Natasha's hand.

Looking up, Ari noticed Loki standing off to the side, looking a bit disappointed. When he glanced at her, she turned away, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. A nurse shoved her out of the way, so she sat down in the armchair right next to the bed.

Clint limped into the room, obviously frustrated with the slowness of the crutches. He quickly approached the bed, throwing his crutches to the side. "Natasha? Natasha can you hear me?"

"Clint? Is that you?"

"You're going to be alright, Natasha." They smiled at each other like they were the only two people in the world. Ari was so distracted by their look that she didn't see the doctor approaching her. "You need to go back to bed," he told her. Ari was roused from her trance when he heard him speak. "What?"

"You need to go back to bed," he repeated.

"Are you serious? My friend is waking up from a coma, and you want me to go back to bed?" The doctor gave her a look like a parent would give a misbehaving child. "Agent Hollow, you have more of your treatment tomorrow. You'll need you're strength," he explained. She sighed and stood up, following the doctor out of the room. As she passed Loki, she glanced up at him. He wore an expression that she couldn't quite read. She gave him a weak smile as she left the room. 

Most of Ari's nightmares were simply her dying in the most horrifying ways possible. But that night, it was different. Instead, she saw Loki. He just stood there, looking completely hopeless. She called out to him, but he didn't seem to hear her.

All of a sudden, he began crying out in pain. She tried to run to him, but for some reason, her legs wouldn't work. Loki fell to his knees, and Ari discovered with horror who was responsible for his pain: Ian and Dr. King.

Once Loki was lying on his back, Ian began to circle him like a vulture circling a carcass with a satisfied grin on his face. Dr. King simply stood there watching, his hands behind his back, no expression on his face. He looked exactly as she remembered him: mostly black hair with a few streaks of gray in it, slim-framed glasses, and cold, empty eyes.

Her legs still inoperable, Ari could do nothing except scream obscenities at them. "You sons of bitches! You bastards! Stay away from him!" But no matter how much she shouted at them, they did not acknowledge her.

"Elizabeth has taken quite a liking to you, hasn't she?" Ian jeered.

"Her name is Ari," Loki stated through clenched teeth. Ian laughed. The sound of it made Ari sick to her stomach. "Tell me, Loki, Ari has spurned the affections of every other man who has tried to court her. What makes you so special?"

"I am not courting her." Ian laughed again. "You may be the master of lies, Loki, but you're not that good. I know the way you look at her."

"No you don't. You've been locked up in a cell for six weeks."

"I don't have to see it to know. I can sense emotions, and don't think just because you're a god that you're immune to it. But even if I couldn't, it's very obvious. The god of mischief, who's never been able to care about anyone, suddenly going out of his way to protect a mere mortal."

"She is no mere mortal," Loki snapped. This made Ian release a sickening bellow. "What is this? I believe that is the closest thing to a compliment you've ever offered. You chastise your brother for forming an attachment to a human, and now here you are, falling in love with one yourself. You're a bit of a hypocrite, Loki Laufyson."

Loki's face filled with rage at the mention of his real name. He tried to push himself back up, but Ian put his foot on his chest and forced him back down.

"Ian, enough with your games. Do what we came here to do," Dr. King ordered. Ian gave a disappointed groan as he pulled out a knife. "Oh, well. I really wish I could stay and chat, but I will leave you with one last message: Elizabeth belongs to me!" He shouted as he plunged the knife into Loki's chest. "No! No! No! No!" Ari screamed. She could only watch in horror as a pool of blood surrounded Loki's lifeless form. 

Loki woke up breathing heavily. His entire body was covered with sweat and his heart was racing. In all of his existence, he had never had such a terrifying dream. He wasn't one to be scared easily, but no matter how many times he tried to convince himself that it wasn't real, he was still consumed with fear. He only saw Ian and Dr. King in the dream, but he had the oddest feeling that someone else was there.

Looking at the clock, he realized that it was almost noon. _What the hell is wrong with me? I never sleep this late. _He jumped off of the bed, got dressed, and left his apartment to find the others.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty, finally decided to join the land of the living?" Tony asked Loki when he ran into him in the hallway. "I would think you would be up early today."

"Why is that?" Loki demanded, wanting to end the conversation as quickly as possible.

"The girls are coming back from the hospital today." The fact that Ari would be back at the base relieved him. At least he would be able to protect her better.

"Loki! Tony! Have you heard the wonderful news? Natasha and Ari are returning to us today!" Thor's voice boomed as he approached the men.

"Yeah, we heard. According to Banner, they're both doing fine."

"Yes, it is a great relief to have our friends back," Thor said with a smile.

"Are you boys talking about us?" Natasha's voice asked. The men turned around and found Natasha and Ari standing behind them. Thor immediately trapped Ari in a huge bear hug. "It is such a delight to see that you are well!" he exclaimed.

"It's nice to see you too, Thor," Ari laughed. "But, can you please put me down?"

"Of course!" Thor set her back down on the ground. "Natasha, it is good to see that you have recovered as well."

"Thanks, Thor," Natasha said. Natasha and Tony made eye contact. "Agent Romanoff," Tony said.

"Stark," Natasha replied. Ari rolled her eyes and looked at Loki. She gestured for them to leave, and he followed her.

"Are you feeling alright?" Ari asked him. Loki laughed. "Why is it that you are always worrying about me when I should be the one worrying about you?"

"You just look tired, that's all," she said softly. Loki looked at her and noticed that she had a distracted look on her face. "What's bothering you, Ari?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing," she answered half-heartedly. He searched her face for any indication of what was on her mind, but he found nothing.

"Hey, Ari, wait!" They turned around and saw Steve running towards them. "Fury wanted me to ask you if you'd still be up to planning the Christmas party."

"Nick Fury, director of the most powerful espionage unit in the world, is worried about the stupid Christmas party?" Steve shrugged. "He just told me to ask you." Ari sighed. "Fine. Tell him I'll do it."

Steve smiled. "That's the spirit, champ!" He patted her on the back and walked away. Ari groaned. "Why do I always have to do the stupid Christmas party?"

"If you didn't want to do it, than why did you agree to it?" Loki asked.

"Oh, I don't know. I guess it's because I don't really have a reason to celebrate Christmas otherwise." Loki raised an eyebrow as if asking 'why not?'. "Well, you're suppose to celebrate Christmas with your family. I don't have a family, therefore, I don't really celebrate Christmas." Loki nodded, understanding her reasoning. Suddenly, she stopped walking and a big smile spread across her face. "You know what? We should go shopping!"

"Right now? You just got out of the hospital," Loki pointed out.

"I feel fine. And I'll feel even better after getting some fresh air!" He didn't really feel like being surrounded by a bunch of idiotic humans, but he saw how Ari's face light up at the thought of going out. Plus, he knew he would feel anxious if she went out by herself. Loki sighed. "Very well."


End file.
